*TheBarotsecallthemselvestheBaloianaorlittleBaloi,asiftheyhadbeenanoffsetfromLoi,orLui,asitisoftenspelt。
AsLuihadbeenvisitedbyPortuguese,butitspositionnotwellascertained,myinquiriesreferredtotheidentityofNalielewithLuiOnaskingtheheadmanoftheMambariparty,namedPorto,whetherhehadeverheardofNalielebeingvisitedpreviously,herepliedinthenegative,andstatedthathe“hadhimselfattemptedtocomefromBihethreetimes,buthadalwaysbeenpreventedbythetribecalledGanguellas。”Henearlysucceededin1852,butwasdrivenbackHenowin1853attemptedtogoeastwardfromNaliele,butcamebacktotheBarotseonbeingunabletogobeyondKainko’svillage,whichissituatedontheBashukulompoRiver,andeightdaysdistantThewholepartywasanxioustosecurearewardbelievedtobepromisedbythePortuguesegovernment。
TheirwantofsuccessconfirmedmyimpressionthatIoughttogowestward。
Portokindlyofferedtoaidme,ifIwouldgowithhimtoBihe;butwhenIdeclined,heprecededmetoLoanda,andwaspublishinghisJournalwhenIarrivedatthatcityBenHabibtoldmethatPortohadsentletterstoMozambiquebytheArab,BenChombo,whomIknew;
andhehassinceasserted,inPortugal,thathehimselfwenttoMozambiqueaswellashisletters!
ButSanturuwasoncevisitedbytheMambari,andadistinctrecollectionofthatvisitisretainedTheycametopurchaseslaves,andbothSanturuandhisheadmenrefusedthempermissiontobuyanyofthepeopleTheMakololoquotedthisprecedentwhenspeakingoftheMambari,andsaidthatthey,asthepresentmastersofthecountry,hadasgoodarighttoexpelthemasSanturu。
TheMambariresidenearBihe,underanAmbondachiefnamedKangombe。
Theyprofesstousetheslavesfordomesticpurposesalone。
SomeoftheseMambarivisiteduswhileatNalieleTheyareoftheAmbondafamily,whichinhabitsthecountrysoutheastofAngola,andspeaktheBundadialect,whichisofthesamefamilyoflanguageswiththeBarotse,Bayeiye,etc。,orthoseblacktribescomprehendedunderthegeneraltermMakalakaTheyplaittheirhairinthree-foldcords,andlaythemcarefullydownaroundthesidesofthehead。
TheyarequiteasdarkastheBarotse,buthaveamongthemanumberofhalf-castes,withtheirpeculiaryellowsicklyhue。
OninquiringwhytheyhadfledonmyapproachtoLinyanti,theyletmeknowthattheyhadavividideaofthecustomsofEnglishcruisersonthecoast。
Theyshowedalsotheirhabitsintheirowncountrybydiggingupandeating,evenherewherelargegameabounds,themiceandmoleswhichinfestthecountryThehalf-castes,ornativePortuguese,couldallreadandwrite,andtheheadoftheparty,ifnotarealPortuguese,hadEuropeanhair,and,influencedprobablybytheletterofrecommendationwhichIheldfromtheChevalierDuprat,hismostfaithfulmajesty’sArbitratorintheBritishandPortugueseMixedCommissionatCapeTown,wasevidentlyanxioustoshowmeallthekindnessinhispower。
ThesepersonsIfeelassuredwerethefirstindividualsofPortuguesebloodwhoeversawtheZambesiinthecentreofthecountry,andtheyhadreachedittwoyearsafterourdiscoveryin1851。
ThetownormoundofSanturu’smotherwasshowntome;thiswasthefirstsymptomofanalteredstateoffeelingwithregardtothefemalesexthatIhadobservedTherearefewornocasesofwomenbeingelevatedtotheheadshipsoftownsfurthersouthTheBarotsealsoshowedsomerelicsoftheirchief,whichevincedagreateramountofthereligiousfeelingthanIhadeverknowndisplayedamongBechuanasHismorerecentcapital,Lilonda,built,too,onanartificialmound,iscoveredwithdifferentkindsoftrees,transplantedwhenyoungbyhimself。
Theyformagroveontheendofthemound,inwhicharetobeseenvariousinstrumentsofironjustinthestateheleftthem。
Onelooksliketheguardofabasket-hiltedsword;anotherhasanuprightstemofthemetal,onwhichareplacedbranchesworkedattheendsintominiatureaxes,hoes,andspears;onthesehewasaccustomedtopresentofferings,accordingashedesiredfavorstobeconferredinundertakinghewing,agriculture,orfightingThepeoplestilllivingthere,inchargeofthesearticles,weresupportedbypresentsfromthechief;
andtheMakololosometimesfollowtheexampleThiswasthenearestapproachtoapriesthoodImetWhenIaskedthemtopartwithoneoftheserelics,theyreplied,“Ohno,herefuses。”“Whorefuses?”“Santuru。”
wastheirreply,showingtheirbeliefinafuturestateofexistence。
Afterexplainingtothem,asIalwaysdidwhenopportunityoffered,thenatureoftrueworship,andprayingwiththeminthesimpleformwhichneedsnoofferingfromtheworshiperexceptthatoftheheart,andplantingsomefruit-treeseedsinthegrove,wedeparted。
Anotherincident,whichoccurredattheconfluenceoftheLeebaandLeeambye,maybementionedhere,asshowingamorevividperceptionoftheexistenceofspiritualbeings,andgreaterpronenesstoworshipthanamongtheBechuanasHavingtakenlunarobservationsinthemorning,Iwaswaitingforameridianaltitudeofthesunforthelatitude;
mychiefboatmanwassittingby,inordertopackuptheinstrumentsassoonasIhadfinished;therewasalargehalo,about20Degindiameter,roundthesun;thinkingthatthehumidityoftheatmosphere,whichthisindicated,mightbetokenrain,Iaskedhimifhisexperiencedidnotleadhimtothesameview“Ohno。”repliedhe;
“itistheBarimogodsordepartedspirits,whohavecalledapicho;
don’tyouseetheyhavetheLordsuninthecentre?”
WhilestillatNalieleIwalkedouttoKatongolat15d16’33“,ontheridgewhichboundsthevalleyoftheBarotseinthatdirection,andfounditcoveredwithtreesItisonlythecommencementofthelandswhichareneverinundated;theirgentlerisefromthedeadlevelofthevalleymuchresemblestheedgeoftheDesertinthevalleyoftheNileButheretheBanyetihavefinegardens,andraisegreatquantitiesofmaize,millet,andnativecorn`Holcussorghum’,oflargegrainandbeautifullywhiteTheygrow,also,yams,sugar-cane,theEgyptianarum,sweetpotato`Convolulusbatata’,twokindsofmaniocorcassava`Jatrophamanihot’and`Jutilissima’,avarietycontainingscarcelyanypoison,besidespumpkins,melons,beans,andground-nutsThese,withplentyoffishintheriver,itsbranchesandlagoons,wildfruitsandwater-fowl,alwaysmakethepeoplerefertotheBarotseasthelandofplenty。
Thescenefromtheridge,onlookingback,wasbeautifulOnecannotseethewesternsideofthevalleyinacloudyday,suchasthatwaswhenwevisitedthestockade,butwecouldseethegreatriverglancingoutatdifferentpoints,andfinelargeherdsofcattlequietlygrazingonthegreensucculentherbage,amongnumbersofcattle-stationsandvillageswhicharedottedoverthelandscapeLechesinhundredsfedsecurelybesidethem,fortheyhavelearnedonlytokeepoutofbow-shot,ortwohundredyardsWhengunscomeintoacountrytheanimalssoonlearntheirlongerrange,andbegintorunatadistanceoffivehundredyards。
IimaginedtheslightelevationKatongomightbehealthy,butwasinformedthatnopartofthisregionisexemptfromfeverWhenthewatersbegintoretirefromthisvalley,suchmassesofdecayedvegetationandmudareexposedtothetorridsunthateventhenativessufferseverelyfromattacksoffeverThegrassissorankinitsgrowththatonecannotseetheblackalluvialsoilofthebottomofthisperiodicallake。
Evenwhenthegrassfallsdowninwinter,oris“laid“byitsownweight,oneisobligedtoliftthefeetsohigh,toavoidbeingtrippedupbyit,astomakewalkingexcessivelyfatiguingYounglechesarehiddenbeneathitbytheirdams;andtheMakololoyouthcomplainofbeingunabletorunintheBarotselandonthisaccountTherewasevidentlynohealthyspotinthisquarter;andthecurrentoftheriverbeingaboutfourandahalfmilesperhouronehundredyardsinsixtyseconds,Iimaginedwemightfindwhatweneededinthehigherlands,fromwhichtheriverseemedtocomeIresolved,therefore,togototheutmostlimitsoftheBarotsecountrybeforecomingtoafinalconclusionKatongowasthebestplacewehadseen;but,inordertoaccomplishacompleteexamination,IleftSekeletuatNaliele,andascendedtheriverHefurnishedmewithmen,besidesmyrowers,andamongtherestaherald,thatImightenterhisvillagesinwhatisconsideredadignifiedmannerThis,itwassupposed,wouldbeeffectedbytheheraldshoutingoutatthetopofhisvoice,“Herecomesthelord;thegreatlion;“thelatterphrasebeing“tauetona“,which,inhisimperfectwayofpronunciation,became“Sauetona“,andsolike“thegreatsow“thatIcouldnotreceivethehonorwithbecominggravity,andhadtoentreathim,muchtotheannoyanceofmyparty,tobesilent。
InourascentwevisitedanumberofMakololovillages,andwerealwaysreceivedwithaheartywelcome,asmessengerstothemofpeace,whichtheyterm“sleep“Theybehavewellinpublicmeetings,evenonthefirstoccasionofattendance,probablyfromthehabitofcommandingtheMakalaka,crowdsofwhomswarmineveryvillage,andwhomtheMakololowomenseemtoconsiderasespeciallyundertheircharge。
Theriverpresentsthesameappearanceoflowbankswithouttreesaswehaveremarkedithadafterwecameto16d16’,untilwearriveatLibonta14d59’Slat。Twentymilesbeyondthat,wefindforestdowntothewater’sedge,andtsetse。
HereImighthaveturnedback,asnolocalitycanbeinhabitedbyEuropeanswherethatscourgeexists;buthearingthatwewerenotfarfromtheconfluenceoftheRiverofLondaorLunda,namedLeebaorLoiba,andthechiefsofthatcountrybeingreportedtobefriendlytostrangers,andthereforelikelytobeofusetomeonmyreturnfromthewestcoast,Istillpushedontolatitude14d11’3“STheretheLeeambyeassumesthenameKabompo,andseemstobecomingfromtheeast。
Itisafinelargeriver,aboutthreehundredyardswide,andtheLeebatwohundredandfiftyTheLoeti,abranchofwhichiscalledLangebongo,comesfromW。N。W。,throughalevelgrassyplainnamedMango;itisaboutonehundredyardswide,andenterstheLeeambyefromthewest;thewatersoftheLoetiareofalightcolor,andthoseoftheLeebaofadarkmossyhueAftertheLoetijoinstheLeeambyethedifferentcoloredwatersflowsidebysideforsomedistanceunmixed。
BeforereachingtheLoetiwecametoanumberofpeoplefromtheLobaleregion,huntinghippopotamiTheyfledprecipitatelyassoonastheysawtheMakololo,leavingtheircanoesandalltheirutensilsandclothingMyownMakalaka,whowereaccustomedtoplunderwherevertheywent,rushedafterthemlikefuries,totallyregardlessofmyshoutingAsthisproceedingwouldhavedestroyedmycharacterentirelyatLobale,Itookmystandonacommandingpositionastheyreturned,andforcedthemtolaydownalltheplunderonasand-bank,andleaveitthereforitslawfulowners。
ItwasnowquiteevidentthatnohealthylocationcouldbeobtainedinwhichtheMakololowouldbeallowedtoliveinpeaceIhadthusafairexcuse,ifIhadchosentoavailmyselfofit,ofcominghomeandsayingthatthe“doorwasshut“,becausetheLord’stimehadnotyetcome。
ButbelievingthatitwasmydutytodevotesomeportionofmylifetothesetomeatleastveryconfidingandaffectionateMakololo,Iresolvedtofollowoutthesecondpartofmyplan,thoughIhadfailedinaccomplishingthefirstTheLeebaseemedtocomefromtheNandbyW。,orN。N。W。;so,havinganoldPortuguesemap,whichpointedouttheCoanzaasrisingfromthemiddleofthecontinentin9DegSlat。,Ithoughtitprobablethat,whenwehadascendedtheLeebafrom14d11’
twoorthreedegrees,weshouldthenbewithinonehundredandtwentymilesoftheCoanza,andfindnodifficultyinfollowingitdowntothecoastnearLoandaThiswasthelogicaldeduction;but,asisthecasewithmanyaplausibletheory,oneofthepremiseswasdecidedlydefective。
TheCoanza,asweafterwardfound,doesnotcomefromanywherenearthecentreofthecountry。
ThenumbersoflargegameaboveLibontaareprodigious,andtheyprovedremarkablytameEighty-onebuffaloesdefiledinslowprocessionbeforeourfireoneevening,withingunshot;andherdsofsplendidelandsstoodbyday,withoutfear,attwohundredyardsdistance。
Theywereallofthestripedvariety,andwiththeirforearmmarkings,largedewlaps,andsleekskins,wereabeautifulsighttoseeThelionshereroarmuchmorethaninthecountrynearthelake,Zouga,andChobe。
OneeveningwehadagoodopportunityofhearingtheutmostexertionstheanimalcanmakeinthatlineWehadmadeourbedsonalargesand-bank,andcouldbeeasilyseenfromallsidesAlionontheoppositeshoreamusedhimselfforhoursbyroaringasloudlyashecould,putting,asisusualinsuchcases,hismouthneartheground,tomakethesoundreverberateTheriverwastoobroadforaballtoreachhim,sowelethimenjoyhimself,certainthathedurstnothavebeenguiltyoftheimpertinenceintheBushmancountryWhereverthegameabounds,theseanimalsexistinproportionatenumbersHeretheywereveryfrequentlyseen,andtwoofthelargestIeversawseemedaboutastallascommondonkeys;